>> thanks for waking up with us on this labor day. have a great day. hope you enjoy that barbecue. delegates begin arriving in charlotte for the democratic national convention as president obama hits the campaign trail then heads to louisiana for a firsthand look at the damage left behind by isaac. firing back. the church of scientology blasts a new "vanity fair" article that claims it auditioned potential wives for tom cruise. this morning who they believe is behind the startling allegation. and out of control. a driver at a monster truck rally in oregon plows over a protective barrier and into the stands. three people rushed to the hospital. what caused the accident and why that driver will not face charges today monday, september

3rd, 2012. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and welcome to "today" on this labor day monday morning. i'm natalie morales. >> i'm carl quintanilla. matt and savannah have the day off. the kickoff for the presidential race. >> the republicans had their moment last week, now it's the democrats' turn. what do they have planned for their convention in charlotte this week? what message does the president need to deliver to reconnect with the voters on thursday night? we'll talk about that with a top ranking member of his campaign straight ahead. >> firefighters are hoping cooler weather will help in their fight against a dangerous wildfire that forced thousands

of labor day campers to evacuate. the smoke so thick, it can be seen from los angeles more than 30 miles away. details coming up. live to london where prince harry is scheduled to make his first public appearance since the now infamous party pictures in las vegas showed up online. and later we'll go outside to join the holiday crowd on the plaza for matchbox twenty. >> their first album in 10 years. it's good to see they are back and will be here performing for us. we do want to begin now with the presidential race. chuck todd is nbc's political director and white house director and correspondent, he's at the convention. >> labor day marked the start of the general election. that's clearly no longer the case. heading into this convention the obama campaign believes they are in the best possible place they could be given the tough economic times, but that doesn't mean they are necessarily in a winning place.

campaigning in colorado sunday, president obama is setting the stage for his democratic convention message saying the republican convention was like a time warp. >> it was a rerun. it could have been on nick at night. we've seen it before. >> and blasting mitt romney as out of touch. >> those ideas don't work. they didn't work then, they won't work now. >> mr. obama is in the middle of a swing state tour leading up to the convention, barnstorming through colorado, iowa, ohio, traveling to iowa and virginia tomorrow even as the president tries to cast the campaign as a choice between two competing visions for the country. when it comes to the question whether americans are better off than they were four years ago the obama campaign remains on the defensive. >> we were this close to a depression. because of the leadership, we staved that off. >> are we better off than we need to be? no. >> you want to know about the first term.

general motors is alive and well, osama bin laden is not. >> the obama campaign hopes to move beyond the are you bet ur off theme and focus on the future. it's a point the president has been making every since he kicked off his reelection campaign four months ago. >> it's not just about how we're doing today. it's about how we'll be doing tomorrow. >> meantime the obama campaign noticeably pivoted back to the argument it should be a referendum on the president's record. >> the critical issue facing american voters is the economy. >> 23 million out of work, stopped looking for work or underemployed. let me tell you if you have a coach that's 0 and 23 million, you say it's time to get a new coach. >> reporter: for the first time romney singled out republicans for criticism, specifically congressional republicans for running up deficits during the bush administration. >> we had the lead, we let people down.

we have to make sure we don't lead them down. i will cut the deficit and get us on track to a balanced budget. >> the president does take a little bit of a break from the campaign trail today. he goes down to louisiana where he will tour storm damage. that is something romney did on friday. natalie. >> chuck todd, thank you. stephanie cutter is president obama's deputy campaign manager. stephanie, good morning. thanks for joining us. >> good morning. thanks for having me. >> let me begin with starting with the central question on people's minds, that is are we better off today than we were four years ago when president obama was elected? >> absolutely. let me just walk you through what life was like four years ago right now. in the six months before the president was elected, we lost 3.5 million jobs, wages had been going down for a decade, auto industry was on the brink of failure. our financial system, this is just about the time you're seeing banks go under. all over america middle class families were feeling it. they have been feeling it for over a decade. let's take a look where we are today, losing 3 million jobs in

the six months before we took office, lost 800,000 jobs the month the president took office. today we've created 4.5 million private sector jobs. let's talk about the auto industry. it was on the brink of failure. today it's the number one auto industry in the world. let's take a look at wages. for decades wages and incomes fell. over the last year we've seen them start to rise. by any measure the country has moved forward over the last four years, it might not be as fast as people hoped. the president agrees with that. he knows we need to do more. that's what this week is about, laying out a road map of how we can continue this progress, how we can continue moving the country forward. >> you still talk about the 13 million people still unemployed. the central question to a lot of people and what they want answered is how would a second term under president obama be any different and what can they look forward to? >> well, you know, natalie, there's a piece of legislation sitting before congress right now. the american jobs act the

president sent up a year ago that would create jobs right now for the american people. by giving tax cuts to small businesses, investing in infrastructure, ensuring teachers can stay in the classroom. we field a willing partner on the other side of the republican party and we don't have that right now. in terms of looking forward, the president will lay out this week where we've been, where we are today and where the president wants to take us in the future, creating an economy built to last is ultimately our sole objective. to do that we have to create an economy built to last with a strong middle class at its core. that ultimately is the choice in this election, whether we want to move forward, build a strong middle class, an economy meant to last or back to the policies, very same policies mitt romney is putting on the table now that will crash our economy and punish the middle class. we've seen that happen. we know it doesn't work. why would america want to go back? >> let me ask you, you talk about the president needing to have a willing partner in

congress. republicans continue to hold the house and quite possibly take the senate. how will politics as usual be any different under a new term with the president? >> i think the american people need to decide that. they are going to decide that on november 6th. as the president has said, we need to make a decision. do we want to break the fever in washington, send a strong signal to washington about moving forward. the only reason we're not moving forward on critical issues like deficit reduction or putting a million jobs out there for the american people is because republicans won't give a dime of taxes for the wealthy to help pay for these things. they aren't willing to ensure wealthy pay their fair share. that's what's holding up progress in washington. people on november 6th can make a judgment. do they want every american to pay their fair share, for the wealthy to kick in more just like they did in the 1990s. we saw that economic growth -- the greatest economic expansion in our lifetime or do we want to

stay the course, ensure we can give like mitt romney's wants to do an additional $250,000 tax cut for millionaires but make the middle class pay for it. that's ultimately the choice. the voters will december november 6th. >> stephanie, before we let you go, the president said the republican national convention, basically we heard not a single new idea. he said romney basically offered a retread of the same old policies. he said it could have been a rerun of nick at night. how will the president differentiate himself? what can the american voters expect to hear from him that's going to be different in the near term? >> i think you're going to hear a lot of things different this week than you heard last week. first of all, this week will not be about personal attacks or platitudes or trying to rally our base. we'll be speaking to all americans. secondly, we're going to speak honestly and openly about the tough choices we need to make to move this country forward. the president when he speaks thursday night will lay out the road map of where he thinks the

country needs to go if we truly want the economy that's built to last, one that's a strong middle class not outsourcing and loopholes, which is where mitt romney wants to take us. we'll have that discussion openly and honestly. the president is very much looking forward to it. >> stephanie cutter, we'll leave it there. thanks so much. good luck with the week ahead. >> thank you. >> by the way savannah is going to be live in charlotte, complete coverage of the democratic national convention that's starting tomorrow on "today." >> let's get to more of the top stories of the morning with natalie over here tamron hall at the news desk. >> good morning, everyone. a wildfire has forced thousands of holiday tourists in southern california to change their plans. it broke out sunday when a car caught fire near a camp site in the angeles national forest. visitors were ordered to evacuate that popular recreational area where the fire has grown to 3,600 acres.

it was just 5% contained overnight. aircraft joined ground crews. a fire destroyed large there was an earthquake in much of los angeles, it was felt from marina del rey, and it was a sharp jolt of the earthquake of that magnitude does not generally cause structural damage. floodwaters are still posing serious problems in rural louisiana. gabe gutierrez has the latest from new orleans. gabe, good morning. >> reporter: tamron, good morning. the president is expected to travel here later this aftern n afternoon. a trip the white house says was scheduled before mitt romney's visit last friday. almost a week after hurricane isaac made landfall in hard-hit plaquemines parish, flood victims are applying for national aid. and the emotions are raw. >> i couldn't stand to see it anymore. it's just awful.

it's -- it's one of the most terrible things i have ever seen. >> reporter: today, the pearl river is expected to crest at 19 1/2 feet, and officials are considering whether to evacuate 5,000 homes. >> we have gauges all along the river at different places. we will test and see what those gauges tell us and we will be in touch with the public. >> reporter: meanwhile, many flood victims are speculating that some towns outside of new orleans like lafitte and laplace flooded even more because of the levee systems. >> you're booing toput it up which is a good thing, but won't worry about where you're pushing it. >> reporter: they expect the impact would have been minimal. >> we wouldn't have built a system that would have induced flooding in other places. >> reporter: the army corps had spent more than $10 billion on the flood protection system

behind me. meanwhile, about 130,000 homes and businesses in louisiana are still without power. >> thank you very much. two americans were wounded today when a car filled with explosives crashed into a u.s. government vehicle floor the american consulate in peshawar, pakistan. two staff members were also injured. the u.s. embassy in pakistan called the attack a heinous act. and the reunification church will hold 13 days of mourning for sun myung moon. his movement started in the '70s and they were known for the mass weddings and they built a business empire for newspapers and schools. he was 92 years old. the ntsb is looking into the dramatic plane crash that killed a veteran pilot during an air show this weekend in davenport, iowa. the pilot gave no indication of

trouble before he -- his plane nosedived into the field. you see it burst into flames. no speculators were injured there. and another amazing accident. this one caught on tape as well this weekend. a monster truck veered out of control during a race in oregon saturday. three spectators were hurt, although we're told none of the injuries are life-threatening. the event announcer said that the driver lost his hydraulic steering. 7:14. back to natalie, carl and stephanie. look at how close people are to that race. but what happened there, thankfully, no one had life-threatening injuries. surprising. >> surprising all right. thank you so much. well, the weather channel's stephanie abrams is here for al. we were saying what a great job you did at the weather channel did covering isaac. >> thank you for that. isaac is bringing us rain along the east coast. there it is combined with a front. wet in ohio down to the southeast.

a lot of rain out of this as well. we could see a couple of inches as we head over the next 24 hours. look at the heavier totals, perhaps up to four inches in alabama and also into georgia. for the rest of the country, it is dry. as we look westbound, watch for >> 7:15. the unofficial end of summer. it is going to feel summer like across the bay area. taking a live look, this is san francisco, not a lot of fog and what did develop is going to burn off by about 10:00 a.m. leaving us with perfect beach conditions. 80 in santa cruz, 74 in san francisco. even in wine country about 89 not too hot there. livermore 97, no triple digits in the near future. we're going to decrease your temps all the way through sunday. >> carl, over to you. >> stephanie, thanks. prince harry said to return to the spotlight following his much talked about trip to las vegas. michelle kosinski is in london.

good morning. >> reporter: hi, carl, yeah. plenty going on here lately and plenty involving the royal family. we saw prince andrew rappel down the side of the tallest building in western europe, one young royal is about to make a much needed positive appearance. high-profile royal stunts go, this might be the most extreme. bond style parachuting entrance, this one is real. prince andrew let 39 others including british marines on ropes down the side. >> slipped the whole way down the first section. >> reporter: the tallest building in these parts at more than 1,000 feet. each participant had to raise $40,000 benefiting outward bound and military. >> this was all prince andrew's idea. he looks out of his window at buckingham palace and said i'm going to do that. by doing this he's raising something like $2 million. >> reporter: the royal family has been hugely supportive of

superhuman feats lately at the and they've coordinated in other ways like wearing polo shirts and matching sneakers. dressed down and in the rain. and kate even went unrecognized in the star buying a wet suit. s not so easy to blend in lately for prince harry. over the weekend the tabloid published an account of the incident, my night with naked harry. she was there for 20 minutes saying she kissed the prince, calling it a drunken fumble. he was a gentleman, she said, but he was so wasted. the palace denies the account is true. tonight, for first time since vegas, typically it stays in veg vegas, he'll emerge in public

for the sick children and their caregivers. >> i'm sure given time he'll be forgiven, like he is. the reality, he's a brave chap. he'll be back on the front line at some stage. he does it all for charity. so yes, i think people will forgive him. >> reporter: harry is an apache helicopter pilot and there's a growing buzz we could see him return to afghanistan very soon. carl? >> michelle kosinski, thanks. it's 7:18. here's natalie. >> thank you. the great wall of china is one of the world's most famous and ancient landmarks and new secrets are just now being discovered along its 5,500 mile mile path. here's nbc's ian williams. >> reporter: this is the usual image of the great wall of china. but further afield, its derelict watchtowers and ramparts are being explored. it disappears into the vast

lake. which is where we traveled with american explorer stephen swankert determined to unlock the secrets of the submerged wall. >> there were the meters of the wall that were sub merged when the whole valley was flooded. >> reporter: it goes into the cold and murky depths of the reservoir. this section built during the ming dynasty 1500 years ago. >> we get to have a sort of 360 experience on the wall. get to be above it, beneath it, to the side of it. a view we don't get otherwise. >> reporter: on the surface the dive was monitored by william lindsey, one of the world's leading great wall explorers who has tracked more than 1,500 miles of it. are there any watchtowers down there? >> there's a watchtower in the middle. >> reporter: it sits in the

gloom 50 feet beneath the surface. it is remarkably well preserved as are a series of archways. there was a crucial strategic point in what was a river valley on the route to beijing. >> any valley was perceived as a potential invasion point. and from the chinese point of view they knew they had to defend a location like this very well. >> reporter: well, this might not be the easiest way of exploring the great wall of china. but it does give a unique perspective on this incredible structure. for lindsey it serves as another reminder of a love affair that's kept him in china for 25 years. this area was flooded in 1977. shortly after the revolution when there wasn't much concern about preserving the country's heritage. so the actual water level now, it's just about -- >> yeah. just about below that. >> reporter: lindsey's preference is still for exploring the wall on foot. but he hopes that efforts to preserve the wall will be helped

by unlocking the secrets of the lake, which also hold an endless fascination for the explorer. >> it is amazing. you can't dive the pyramids but you can dive the great wall. it's amazing. >> just fascinating. mean while, coming up, a new look at allegations that the church of scientology conducted top secret auditions to find a potential bride for tom cruise. we'll tell you what the church is hmm, it says here that cheerios helps lower cholesterol

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♪ the one and only, cheerios still ahead, beauty treatment, art classes for kids, what local malls are doing to keep you from shopping online instead. a big treat today, a live labor day concert from the hit band matchbox twenty, but first your local news and weather. i've got breakfast waiting for you. wooo! uh oh. what?

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>> good morning to you. 7:26, i'm marla tellez. in oakland, someone stole from a bronze sculpture that honors the lives and homes lost in the 1991 oakland hills fire. they cut off five metal bars at the memorial garden sculpture sometime this weekend. this is not the first time. vandals damaged it twice before and there is speculation the metal may have been stolen to be sold for scrap. in addition to repair funds the landscape committee is looking to raise $5,000 to develop a video surveillance system. >> let's check the forecast now on this labor day with meteorologist christina loren. good morning. >> hey, good morning. a lot of people have the day off. they want to get outdoors.

you'll be able to hit the beach later on this afternoon. 54 degrees to start you out in conco concord. 54 in livermore. another comfortable area will be the giants game, at&t park at 2:00 p.m., 71 degrees. you can tell if we're forecasting 70s in the cities it will be hot in places like livermore. 80 in santa cruz and 89 in santa rosa. the weather story of the week is temperatures are going to drop off each day. starting tomorrow, all the way through sunday. it is picking up a little bit out there, anthony. >> we're seeing traffic start to build a little bit. there is an accident on 280 on the peninsula at page mill road. the northbound side. you can see the screen sensors show traffic is getting by that. one area that starts slow is los gatos, santa cruz, highway 17 in that area and the high elevations as it winds through to the beach. folks starting to head out. south bay looks good. the east bay, once you get past the toll, looks like things slow

on the upper deck. but no major accidents to report on this labor day. marla, back to you. >> reminder that dumbarton bridge remains closed until 5:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. for the latest find us on facebook, search nbc bay area. we'll be back with our next update in 30 minutes. i'm a native californian. times are tough. our state's going through a tough time. but we can fix it. ♪ chevron's been here in california for 133 years. we work hard. we support 1 in 200 jobs in the state. we support each other. and we spent over $450 million dollars with local small businesses last year. and, together, we can keep this... we're committed. ...the great state of california. committed to california. ♪

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♪ 7:30 now on this labor day monday morning the third of september, 2012. you can see rockefeller plaza is packed. in fact, some of those folks started camping out saturday, if you can believe it, to have the best seat in the house for a live concert from matchbox twenty. they will take the stage and we are so looking forward to it. inside studio 1a, i'm natalie morales along with carl quintanilla. savannah and matt have the day off. >> if you do more of your shopping on-line, you may want to take a trip to the mall. many of them are offering perks and incentives to win back business. we'll show you coming up. speaking of shopping. some retailers are rolling out new lines for kids who struggle with their weight. but is a pretty plus sized line

for girls as young as 3 years old sending them mixed messages. we'll get into that. >> new evidence in the search for the ecluesive yeti who believes they have discovered the mythical creatures true identity. >> let's begin this half hour with a new claim that the church of scientology auditioned potential girlfriends for tom cruise before his marriage to katie holmes. mara is here with the details. >> good morning, carl. a lot has been said about the possible role of the church of scientology in the tom cruise, katie holmes breakup. now "vanity fair" reports that the church once embarked on a top secret project to find cruise a wife. long before all those public displace of affections, long before tom cruise jumped on oprah's couch to profess his love. >> we've never seen you behave this way before. >> i know. >> have you ever felt this way before? >> reporter: there was a lot katie holmes didn't know about marriage sign -- scientology

style, according to a report from "vanity fair." the magazine sites several unnamed sources saying after his breakup with nicole kidman, the church, quote, devised an elaborate auditioning process in which actresses who were already skilg together members were called in, told they were auditioning for a new training film, and then asked a series of curious questions. >> it was a lot of personal questions and a lot of questions about what do they think about tom cruise. there was no audition lines. there was nothing. so it was an odd thing. >> reporter: in a recent interview mark headley told "dateline" in 2004 he worked for the church in video production and discovered the purpose of the audition videos. >> they are actually auditioning girls to be tom's spouse. >> reporter: he sued the church and lost. scientology called him a disgruntled former member accused him of embezzlement. he denied the allegations and no charges were filed. in a statement the church told nbc news, the allegations about

the church supposedly auditioning prospective brides for tom cruise is a false piece of gossip that has been floating around the tabloids for several years, sourced to a group of anti-scientologists. still some find it plausible. >> tom cruise has been involved with scientology for a long time. he's very high up in the church, so it's not really surprising that they're involved with all facets of his personal life. >> reporter: in a preview of its report "vanity fair" focuses on the experience of actress nazanin boniadi, well-known for her work on the tv show "how i met your mother." >> funny. you're funny, handsome and really quite clever. >> reporter: "vanity fair" says in late 2004, the church selected boniadi for a, quote, very important mission, which turned out to be a date with tom cruise. according to the magazine, boniadi sensed this was, quote, possibly going to be an arranged marriage. the two dated for a couple of months before cruise allegedly grew tired of her.

boniadi was eventually sent to a church center in florida and forced to do menial labor, according to "vanity fair." now, the church of scientology says it does not punish people like that. we reached out to nazanin boniadi but were unable to reach her. a spokesperson from tom cruise said, quote, lies in a different font are still lies to sell magazines. >> an explosive headline, nonetheless. >> absolutely. >> thank you so much. >> thank you. now a check of the weather from stephanie abrams in for al. she's outside with the crowd. hey, steph. >> hi, natalie. i found the ultimate fans. these people came from florida to see matchbox 20. how many days did you sleep out? >> slept outside for two flights. >> how was the weather? >> perfect. >> a little wet this morning. overall it's actually quite cool outside. that's not the case in the center of the country. it is going to be hot, hot, hot. look at 90s spreading into south dakota. otherwise the weather will be phenom for the west. on the east coast, we have to deal with rain. now a look at what's happening outside your door. on

temperatures are so comfortable. look at this. this is oakland this morning, a beautiful start at 7:35. everything that you associate with labor day, picnics, you'll be able to do so. it's going to be a little hot inland but not too shabby. 94 in concord today, 97 in livermore, 93 in fairfield. look at san francisco, 74 degrees there, 80 in santa cruz. a lot of traffic over 17 today. gradual decrease throughout the week. you have to do is go to weather.com. natalie, over to you. >> stephanie, thanks so much. online shopping might make your life easier but hurt the bottom lines of brick and mortar retailers. as kerry sanders found out, it's a trend that is leading to big changes at malls across the country. >> reporter: it's that time again, parents and students hitting the stores for back to school shopping. retailers are fighting for your

dollar with heavy competition from online shopping. but malls are fighting back offering new services to turn your shopping trip into a unique experience. instead of just buying products. >> we're going to create a lift. >> you get to take part in something special. >> usually when i go to get a facial, i go to a spa. coming to the mall is easier to because you're coming to shop. >> i like to touch everything and smell it. you can't get that when you order online. >> reporter: it's not just for adults. malls are offering new ways to entertain your kids. at this mall in florida, kids can spend hours creating their own works of art. >> the families come here. they can paint, spend time together and also eat. we have the best cupcakes in miami. >> reporter: this store even offers classes and hosts birthday parties. >> it's a nice quiet place to

spend time, a fun creative outlet to be part of. >> you can come with your best friend and make an experience and something you do together with someone versus on-line alone shopping. >> reporter: according to the national retail federation, nearly 40% of the people surveyed said they plan to shop online for back to school items this year taking advantage of sale prices and free shipping. that means malls have to work harder to get your business. >> you're a retailer. you will be able to offer both a physical location as well as a very strong online sales experience at the same time. those that can do that are the ones that will win. >> reporter: for today kerry sanders, nbc news, miami. and up next, did mitt romney accomplish his goals at the republican national convention, and what does president obama need to do to reconnect with voters when the democrats get their turn this week. we'll talk about all that with chris matthews. plus later matchbox twenty live on the plaza.

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moon is 238,900 miles... the great moment had come... ...3...2...1 back now at 7:41 with more on the battle for the white house. the democrats get their moment in the spotlight with their convention in charlotte. chris matthews is the host of "hardball." he's there. >> four years ago it was about hope and change. the voters have been through a lot since then, the economy has been through a lot since then. can the president reinvigorate the party as we kick off charlotte. >> they will have to. all the debate we'll be covering about the past, the election is about the future. obama has to get people to double down on him. has he to convince them it's going to get better the next

four years than past four years. it's all about the future. >> i want you to take a moment and look back at last week. paul ryan brought his conservative credentials to the ticket. there was a lot of criticism about his convention speech. some said he actually made false statements in the course of it. does it damage his credibility? >> i think he came in as an eagle scout and lost a few merit badges. i think he's going to be watched carefully by the media in terms of his facts. the gm plant closed under w's watch, not obama's. he did walk away from the debt commission, simpson-bowles before the president walked away from it. there's some whole truths missing and half truths. i think he'll have to be very careful down the road here. >> who ended up being the true star, in your view, of tampa, ryan, eastwood, romney? >> not eastwood. mitt romney not only did a competent performance, he did a very good performance. i think that's going to give him a lot of confidence going into

the first debate in october. the fact that he did so well. i think he had tremendous faith in the words he was speaking. he spoke them slowly. there's an economy of words he used. he knew what he was saying was going to work. it was going to get an applause. i think that confidence is going to build towards the first debate. >> chris, let's talk about this documentary airing on msnbc tonight. you actually returned to 2004 when a lot of americans got their very first look at barack obama. the speech that ended up introducing him to the nation. let's take a listen. >> the pundits like to slice and dice our country in the red states and blue states, red states for republicans, blue states for democrats. but i've got news for them, too. we worship an awesome god in the blue states and we don't like federal agents poking around in our libraries in the red states. >> all around us there were people who were crying. halfway through, i thought this guy's life is changed and it will never be the same.

>> chris, i want you to compare the senator who gave that speech to the man who is in the oval office now. >> a lot of experience behind him now. he's been president for four years. he caught with bin laden, dealt with the financial crisis, passed the first ever health care bill which people have been fighting for since teddy roosevelt's time. a lot of history has passed. i think what i'm trying to do tonight in the hour long documentary, give people a sense if this was all there was to obama, what's passed, what was done now, where would he go in the history books. i wanted to give a really good accounting where we stand now that gives a better perspective than day to day reporting. >> do you believe he can exceed the impact he made in '04 and '08. >> that would be hard to do. we will debate bain capital, the questions of how we're doing with the economy. it all comes down to direction. two great poll questions we ask at msnbc, are we headed in the right direction? that's tough for obama.

does this guy care about you and me. that's tough for romney. they both face tough challenges. neither one is the complete candidate in terms of caring about us and being able to fix our problems. we haven't found mr. perfect in either candidates. >> chris, the president speaks late thursday night, friday morning we'll get job numbers for august. how much of his re-election chances pivot around those numbers. >> if he gives a barn burner, carl, 10:30 thursday night. then wets a higher unemployment rate friday that will crush his bounce. if, however, there's some good news. say, you're covering the economy, say 200,000 new jobs in the previous months, that will help his speech rise higher. it really has to be a double punch for him. he needs a good speech and he needs some good economic news friday morning. you're dead right. >> finally, chris, improving jobs numbers, are they a liability for romney or is there a counter argument to that?

>> all elections come down to yes or no. you like the way things are going you vote for the incumbent. you don't like the way things are going, you vote for the challenger. bad news is good for romney, good news is good for the president. it's as simple as that. >> chris matthews, thanks. catch the documentary, barack obama, making history. tonight 10:00 eastern on msnbc. again, savannah, we'll be live in charlotte beginning tomorrow on "today." still ahead the pros and cons of new plus size clothing lines in girls as young as 3 years old but first these messages. can change everything. one try can relieve your nightly congestion without the blowing the stacking the steaming. that's the transformative power of one ingenious little breathe right. try one free at breatheright.com and open your nose instantly. feel the power of air sleep like you mean it and rise to mornings alive with activity. breathe better, sleep better. one free try is all it takes. it's your right to breathe right!

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tall creatures or tall tales? legends of the yeti have been around for ages. now the search for the larger than life creatures is getting serious academic attention. will there be proof the yeti actually exists? here is nbc's chris miller. >> reporter: stories of the yeti entered two centuries when tales of a huge human-like creature reached us from the himalayas. gigantic footprints found in the snow, sightings by mountaineers. >> long hair. much taller, a huge man. >> reporter: the world's largest archive of material in the yeti stored in this museum in switzerland. some 25,000 pages devoted to unexplained creatures.

>> sasquatch, yeti. >> reporter: now oxford university professor brian sikes, the author of dna usa is using his expertise in dna analysis to test organic material connected to the yeti. >> like most people i've always been curious about what these really are. it's highly unlikely we will find an entirely new species, but we might. >> reporter: the highest point on our planet is no place for man. a few years ago i went to base camp for the "today" show. no sighting of the yeti here but the locals told stories of a giant man-like creature that slaughtered their yacks. professor sikes is teaming up with a zoologist to search for worldwide evidence of the yeti's existence. so far they have discovered tall tales. >> a creature frozen in a block of ice. >> reporter: but no hard

evidence. a mountain ear says eer encount creature. >> they are standing this size. >> reporter: a decade long search for the yeti, found the mythical monster. >> no doubt a bear which local people call a snow bear. >> reporter: could this be what people call a yeti? hunted and killed in the 1930s by a nazi expedition in the himalayas, the body donated. other witnesses claim the yeti is, in fact, an ape. >> this thought by most people to be extinct. compare the size with your jaw. this would have been 8, 10 foot tall. up toward the ceilings. >> reporter: as long as people continue to search for the yeti,

the myth endures. if science unravels, believers may not be able to bear it. for "today," keith miller, nee nbc news, the italian alps. >> are we sure it's not roker playing a practical joke. >> could be. doing footprints now. still ahead a concert but first your local news and weather. 8% every 10 years. wow. wow. but you can help fight muscle loss with exercise and ensure muscle health. i've got revigor. what's revigor? it's the amino acid metabolite, hmb to help rebuild muscle and strength naturally lost over time. [ female announcer ] ensure muscle health has revigor and protein to help protect, preserve, and promote muscle health. keeps you from getting soft. [ major nutrition ] ensure. nutrition in charge!

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>> it is 7:56. good morning. i'm marla tellez. they are fighting back against violence. some people of san jose are planning a peace march. this morning's march will begin at 11:00 at the safeway store on white and story roads. it will continue to lake cunningham park. the store was the scene of the 31st homicide last week. >> on this labor day the important forecast is so important. let's check it now with christina loren. >> good morning to you at home. getting a nice clear start looking over mount tam. we have some fog at the coast but everything seems to be clearing headed to a very warm day inland, that means comfortable at the beach. 56 degrees in livermore, 52 san francisco, you want to hit the beach the warmest city will be santa cruz at 77 degrees at 2:00, up to 80 in the heat of

the day. san jose, 86 for you, 94 in concord, 74 degrees in san francisco. so we are rounding out the unofficial end of summer with summer-like conditions, then temperatures start to drop off as of tomorrow gradual decrease that continues all the way into the weekend. so enjoy the heat while it stays hot. 7:57. >> we still are watching the area from los gatos to santa cruz. you can see on 17 things start to jam once you get into santa cruz and that's because lots of folks are heading to the beach because of that forecast. you'll notice the south bay still looks very good. lots of green on the map. things are moving along and also the bay bridge things are moving as well. a little bit of a slowdown past the toll plaza. otherwise no major issue to let you know about right now. >> thanks so much. for the latest check us out on facebook. search nbc bay area. we'll be back with our next

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find your inkjoy. 8:00 now on this monday morning, september 3rd, 2012. it's labor day. we have a treat for our crowd today, matchbox twenty. they are reunited for their first all new album in a decade and here for a live concert in our next half hour. meanwhile natalie morales here alongside carl quintanilla. matt and savannah will be back tomorrow. also a story that's a sign of the times. >> retail rolling out plus sized clothes for girls, sometimes 3 years old. it can make back to school shopping less stressful, that is a healthy term to use for

children of that age. >> speak of back to school. it's back to school for our class of 2020. this year two families are facing some big change as we head into the school year. we'll show you what's going on in their lives. >> coast guard coming to the rescue of russell crowe. did you hear about this? >> i did. >> for more on that let's go inside to the news desk, tamron hall. >> good morning, everyone. many people across the los angeles area were jolted awake by an earthquake this morning. the 3.2 quake was centered in beverly hills and shook much of the west side of los angeles. it was felt from marina del rey to hollywood. a sharp jolt of a quake that magnitude does not cause structural damage. there have been no reports so far. republican candidate mitt romney is resting in new new hampshire today. his running mate paul ryan will invade charlotte, north carolina, where the democrats hold their national convention this week. president obama will highlight the auto industry's comeback

during a campaign stop today in toledo, ohio. he'll also tour storm damage in southern louisiana. flooding from hurricane isaac is slowly receding but the threat of high water has some neighborhoods in rural louisiana still on high alert. officials in st. tammany parish are closely monitoring a breach, a lock on the pearl river and considering evacuations of 5,000 homes. power crews are still trying to restore electricity to more than it 200,000 customers still without power. the popular angeles national forest campgrounds are closed today as 300 firefighters battle a wildfire that's grown to at least 3600 acres. thousands of visitors were forced to leave sunday when that fire started. apparently by a car near a camp site. the blaze is only 5% contained. flames lit up the night sky as a monster fire in portland, a five-alarm fire destroyed much

of the thunderbird lodge. fortunately the hotel was vacant because it's for sale. firefighters say old furniture and mattresses helped fuel the fire. now for a look at what's trending today, our quick roundup of what has you talking online. usually we know when michael phelps wins something. the most decorated olympian collected more than $100,000 playing poker at cesar's palace over the weekend. he tweeted i wish i had won $100 k but it's not true. in the movie russell crowe is the master and commander of the seas. in real life he and a friend had to be rescued by the coast guard after losing their way kayaking off long island. crowe, who is on long island filming a movie, tweeted his thanks to the coast guard for guiding their way home. nearly all of this summer's

countless covers of carly ray jepsen's "call me maybe" are interpretations. two british musicians gave their interpretations yahoo! their accents. ♪ ♪ yeah, i just met you >> this cover is less than a week old and already more than 380,000 views. it is now 8:04. natalie and carl, just when we thought we'd seen every rendition -- >> that was cool. >> tamron, thank you. let's get a check of the weather. stephanie abrams in for al. hey, stephanie. >> i have eight sorority sisters on the loose. watch out if you're here. where are you from? >> alabama, tennessee. >> what's the best part of the trip so far? >> the nbc tour. we like being together. we have 18 kids and wonderful husbands that help take care of them. >> very sweet.

let's look at the forecast. the pick city, that is denver. slightly above average. 89 and isolated storms. a look at the rest of the country shows the heat will stay in the center of the country. plenty of sunshine for that otherwise showers along the east coast. that's all, of course, with the remnants of isaac. 8:05 now. take a look at this live picture coming in from san francisco. low clouds, yeah, settled over the bay, not the city, just the bay. and you can actually see the top tower of the golden gate bridge peeking out there. well, what i can tell you is this fog is not going to last long looking at the perfection at the coast today. 74 degrees in san francisco, 80 in santa cruz. a little bit hot in your interior east bay cities but not too bad. 96 in livermore. we're done with the trinl brid digits for the next seven days. birthday boy celebrating 28 wonderful years here in the bag. happy birthday. >> thank you. >> happy birthday.

thanks a lot, stephanie. when we come back, the big business of plus sized clothes for kids as young as three years old. why some parents object to that term for their little ones. plus matchbox twenty live. ( telephone rings ) hi, honey. how's the camping trip? well, kids had fun, but i think i slept on a rock. what are you doing? having coffee. ah, sounds good! i thought you'd say that. ah. ♪ the best part of wakin' up... ♪ you're the best! wake up to the mountain grown aroma of folgers. ♪ ... is folgers in your cup! they're whole grain good... and yummy good. real fruit pieces. 12 grams of whole grains and a creamy yogurt flavored coating. quaker yogurt granola bars.

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consumer, finding clothing for all kids. retailers are offering roomier sizes for girls as young as three years old. good morning. >> good morning. a lot of parents appreciate there's more choices available. while boys choices have been called husky, some wonder if calling toddlers sizes plus is the best choice of words. most little girls want to look hip and cool and dress like their friends. but for a growing population of overweight children, finding clothes that are larger and still in style is tough. now retailers are offering roomier fashion for young girls. >> that would like pretty on you, right? >> right. >> reporter: chief industry retail analyst marshall coen says stores are realizing there's big money offering bigger clothing for children. >> the plus size clothing for

kids has been around a long time. it kind of faded away. it's now coming back with a vengeance particularly in the girls' market. >> reporter: most people recognize husky for boys. now stores like sears have recently launched a girls pretty plus size. not only does the line mirror the standard-sized girls apparel, it's also prominently displayed in the same area on the floor. >> pretty plus for girls has been popular overnight. with the success of the brand, we have expansion plans in place already. >> reporter: while sears focuses on 7 to 12, other retailers like the gap, old navy, the children's place are cashing in on roomier clothing for younger girls, ages three and up online. what does plus sizes for girls really mean? the extra two inches in the waist of these jeans and a t-shirt that's wider and longer. >> plus and husky fits the heavier built child. >> reporter: fashion expert

bought a plus-sized skirt for her daughter, almost three and taller than average on the children's place website. >> she doesn't fit into the 2t, 3t, typically 4t in most brands. the 4 plus fits her and is a little loose on her where i typically put her in a five or six. >> reporter: while she admits she likes having a better selection of sizes and fashions for her little girl, she does wonder if the term plus is the right label. >> a child being able to have the same clothes everyone else their age is wearing is a great thing. however, you're attaching a label to it like plus size and this child is seeing that from an early age. will they feel like they are still different from everyone else? i'm not sure. >> reporter: no matter what you call it, it's a growing trend for america's growing children. >> that's pretty. it's sparkly. >> reporter: retailers say plus is just how the industry

recognizes wider clothing. calling it pretty plus to make you feel empowered. >> see how we feel about that. a parent struggling to find clothes for her 11-year-old daughter morgan. good morning to you all. >> good morning. >> let me ask you first sears seems to be committed to that. this have explanation plans in the pretty plus areas. how committed are they? >> a lot of parents giving them feedback like thank you so much. girls can shop with their friends in the same department. that's a big deal. they don't have to go online, hide. jcpenney has stuff. most stuff is online. they are committed to expanding this. >> you've been shopping with your daughter and she's been having trouble finding clothes since she was a little girl. >> she's tall. we can't find sizes appropriate agewise or size. >> morgan, you're only 11 years old but you're already 5'9".

you're going to tower over all of us. it is a a problem, i imagine, fitting in. what looks like little kids clothes does not fit you? >> it's not fun not being able to shop with your friends because you have to shop in a different center or different shops because they don't have your size. but it's not that hard anymore to find clothing. it's still hard but places are now understanding. so even finding apparel just to do here was hard because we had to go to different stores just to clothing pretty but age appropriate. >> well, you look beautiful. you look perfect, picture perfect. i know, in fact, you want to design your own line for young girls who are experiencing exactly what you're experiencing. why is it you want to dwed indicate yourself. >> i know what they go through, it's different for them. it's hard for me so i don't want

them to go through what i have to go through. the next generation may also be my size or bigger. i don't really know. >> what do you think of the words, though, plus size for girls? do you take any offense to that? >> i don't enjoy the word plus. i'd rather them just put numbers like they do for other kids. >> that's a good idea. is that what you would do for your fashion line. >> i don't think they appreciate the word plus. >> you would have a number system and make it easy for everyone to figure out? >> yes. >> sharon, the fact this is now offering a lot more opportunities, places for you to shop, do you see this as just the beginning of what's going to be a huge trend? >> i'm excited. i think that trying to buy online, it's hard. we want to go in the stores. we want to see it. she's very fashionista. it will be nice to find clothes. i don't have to go to five different shops and shop in the junior section, i'm excited. >> they can shop together with their friends. >> morgan, what's your line

called? what should we be looking for? >> morgan mackenzie. >> good luck with that. >> thank you. >> nice to have you here. thank you very much. still ahead we have a live concert on the plaza from matchbox twenty. but first your local news. hey! you kids almost ready? i've got breakfast waiting for you. wooo! uh oh. what? mom's doing her exercise video again. when mom's on a health kick, all of us are. and now she's made us breakfast.

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at relieving your allergy symptoms for 24 hours. - hugs from beneful baked delights... - [ barks ]rs ] are crispy, oven-baked dog snacks with soft savory centers, made with beef and cheese. beneful baked delights: a unique collection of four snacks... to help spark play in your day. we test-drove the camry, took it on the freeway, and it was just like -- this was the car for me. [ ryan ] it has stuff that guys like, like the rims and the sleekness to the body. and, then, had the bluetooth and the navigation

that diana really wanted. [ diana ] and it was a sport edition, so it felt really grounded to the ground. [ man ] grounded to the ground? yes, yes! grounded to the ground. [ male announcer ] see their story and more at the camry effect. camry. from toyota. back now at 8:18 with our class of 2020, where we followed kids from the first day of kindergarten to high school graduation. as a new school year begins two students lauren and jordan are moving away from their friends and the only homes they have ever known. >> we have some good-byes. >> reporter: for lauren, the end of fourth grade is more than just the beginning of summer. >> lauren, you're embarking on a whole adventure. >> on the last day of school lauren signs and gathers as many

signatures as she can before the final bell. >> hope you enjoy your new school. >> it's only been a couple of weeks since lauren found out her mom is being transferred 400 miles away for work. >> we had been talking to her that it was a possibility that we would be moving, so she was open to the idea and knew it would happen. >> lauren is taking the news in stride but her friends, not so much. >> we were having dinner together. it was the day she found out she was moving and i was not happy. >> lauren, i will really miss you. >> for lauren the emotional blow of moving so far away is softened a little by some surprising news from one of her classmates. >> just recently found out we're moving pretty close to her. >> jordan's father took a lucrative job offer when jordan was in second grade, but it forced him to commute more than

600 miles round trip every week. >> it's kind of hard because we don't get to see him a lot. >> jordan's mom says he's excited to get a chance to spend more time with his father but he's sad to leave his friends and home. >> when we left to take him to the airport, he asked that he could be the last one in the house. i think that was his moment to just take it all in and realize he wasn't going to be back here again. >> jordan and lauren's parents are moving to neighborhoods only 20 miles apart, giving both families a chance to maintain a connection that started five years ago. >> i truly believe that the class of 2020 bond will really keep us connected without years. >> as jordan spends his last day at home, it's moving day at lauren's house. >> okay. i think it's packed to the top. >> after packing her clothes and taping up her fishing poles, lauren spends a few more minute in the bedroom where we first met her in 2007. >> we're in my bedroom for the

class of 2020, standing right there. >> it was the first day of kindergarten and lauren's mom gave her a matching pendant to make her first day in school a little easier. >> lauren, hi, how are you? >> i remember walked into the room and i had my blue heart necklace on and so did my mom. we both gave a kiss. >> five years later lauren and her mom pack up the pets while her dad stays behind and finish the move, lauren says good-bye to her old home. >> be good, okay? >> okay. >> take care of your mom. >> bye. >> and hello to a new life. >> are you doing okay?

>> it's okay. >> and lauren and jordan are signed up for their new school, so we wish them the best for fifth grade. already hard to believe they are growing up fast. if you want to follow along with our class of 2020, follow the website. >> meantime speaking of moving on, a world famous chef is closing his restaurant in chicago that's been a go to a place in the windy city for 25 years. katy tur takes us inside. >> reporter: to truly know him you have to take a tour of his tissuen, stainless steel, not a fingerprint to be found, not a drop of sauce out of place.

>> reporter: would you call yourself politely -- >> insane. >> per snickty. >> if you want to use that. >> reporter: his self-described insanity has terrorized his line chefs. >> doesn't mean i dislike him. don't tell him i said that. >> it's harder than the army. it's harder than anything i've done in my life. >> reporter: harder than the army? >> harder than boot camp. >> harder than war. harder than anything you can imagine. >> reporter: they are kitchen battle scars but ones all agree come with nearly unparalleled training. >> you're back on track today? thank you. >> reporter: the result, masterpiece after masterpiece on plate after plate giving him award after award and acclaim in the windy city. >> i never set out to be beloved. i will do what i have to do to get it to a certain level.

♪ >> reporter: now after all the success, a self-taught chef can only dream of, trotter is closing his doors. one of the pioneers of mod he were cuisine, the man who many credit with putting chicago on the culinary map is happeninging up his white coat and replacing it with a tweed blazer. >> personally, it's time for me to try something different. >> reporter: so he'll be taking on a degree in the decidedly calmer world of philosophy. his goal ostensibly to tra transitioning from torturing his line cooks to anyone who will listen. there's a guy -- ♪ >> reporter: the big question, will a new life buried in books really be able to replace a life behind the burner. on that word trotter is

characteristically mum. katy tur, nbc news, chicago. >> i never made it there. >> i never got there either. one of my biggest regrets. just ahead a labor day concert from matchbox twenty live on the plaza after your local news.

it is 8:26. good morning. i'm marla tellez. thousands of people forced to change their labor day plans because of a fast-moving wildfire. this is in southern california. the so-called williams fire began yesterday afternoon in the san gabriel mountains near a campground. as many as 12,000 campers, hiker, and picnickers have had to evacuate so far. this morning the fire has grown to about five square miles. a huge cloud of smoke can be seen from many parts of the los angeles basin. so far, though, no reports of injuries or damage to any structures. morning commute not too heavy around the bay area because of the holiday. let's check the commute with anthony. >> thank you, maa. we are watching santa cruz. that area starting to bog down with a little bit of traffic.

no major slowdowns from los gatos down towards santa cruz. that's good news if you are heed that way to get some rays at the beach. a nice, smooth commute there. we have an accident in the east bay on 80 at san pablo drive. otherwise you can see from the bay bridge we are not looking at any major slowdowns there, marla. >> wide open. thanks so much. for the latest traffic and news updates, check out nbc bay area on facebook. inkjoy by papermate

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>> 8:30 on labor day monday morning, a crowd that will not wait until this afternoon for the end of summer break because matchbox twenty live on the concert. a full half hour of music. fans cannot wait. natalie morales along with carl quintanilla and tamron hall. matt, savannah and al will be

back tomorrow. >> matchbox twenty ready to dominate the charts once again. their first album of all new music coming up in 10 years. they take the stage for a full half hour. >> headed to the kitchen for a unique burger recipe. i don't know what makes it unique but you can find out today. >> inside al burger. sounds really good. maybe the end of beach season but that doesn't mean you have to pack up your entire closet. we're going to show you how to work some of those favorite pieces from the summer into the fall wardrobe. >> first stephanie abrams from the weather channel has a check of your forecast. good morning, steph. >> good morning. just talking to these girls. what did you talk about? >> i was so shocked to meet him in my lifetime. he asked us where we were from. >> such a nice guy. is he awesome? >> yes. >> let's have a look at the weather as we head across the country.

where are we going to see the sun, rain, showers, otherwise dry along the east coast labor day back towards tomorrow. for so 8:32 now. beautiful live look over the city by the bay. the marine layer getting squished by high pressure. all that you can see here is the top tower of the golden gate bridge for now. we'll progressively clear from the top down as we head through the next two hours. mostly sunny conditions to finish off the day in san francisco, and as a result you'll hit about 74 degrees per section for the unofficial end of summer. happy labor day, everybody. 90 degrees by wednesday. we'll continue to drop off through the end of the week. >> for your weather 24 hours a day, all have you to do is go to weather.com. now a check with our friend willard who is celebrating a birthday today. good morning, willard. >> how sweet it is, the great taste of summertime. let's have a birthday salute as

we take the candy. raymond showell, 107. can you believe that? i had to read it twice. lives by himself. lula jordan from dallas, texas, is 101 and has a beautiful singing voice. as a matter of fact she's a lead singer in the church. lovely voice. arthur shugars charles town, west virginia. that's where there's a pretty little racetrack. charles town, west virginia. 100 years old. secret to longevity, good booze and a good woman. don't mind myself.

lucil lucille schneider, st. joseph momo. 100 years old, a traveler, every continent except antartica. ted cox, we like him. i mean from bushnell, illinois, 100 years old today. avid hunter and carpenter. give him a hammer and nail and he can build an arc. lillian lamontagne. good beer there. 106 years old today. loves watching the boston red sox play in person or on tv. and now back to our favorite people in the world. >> all right. thanks so much, willard. coming up next a labor day concert on the plaza from matchbox twenty but first this

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>> announcer: the toyota concert series on "today" brought to you by toyota. >> getting your labor day off to a rocking start this morning, ladies and gentlemen, matchbox twenty. ♪ ♪ ♪ she says it's cold outside and she hands me my raincoat ♪ ♪ she's always worried about things like that ♪ ♪ she says it's all gonna end and it might

as well be my fault ♪ ♪ and she only sleeps when it's raining ♪ ♪ and she screams ♪ and her voice is straining ♪ she says baby it's 3 am i must be lonely ♪ ♪ when she says baby well i can't help but be scared of it all sometimes ♪ ♪ says the rain's gonna wash away i believe it ♪ ♪ she's got a little bit of something ♪ ♪ god it's better than nothing ♪ ♪ and in her color portrait world she believes that she's got it all ♪ ♪ she swears the moon

don't hang quite as high as it used to ♪ ♪ and she only sleeps when it's raining ♪ ♪ and she screams and her voice is straining ♪ ♪ she says baby it's 3 am i must be lonely ♪ ♪ when she says baby well i can't help but be scared of it all sometimes ♪ ♪ says the rain's gonna wash away i believe it ♪ ♪ god help me i believe this. ♪ she believes that life is made up of all

that she's used to ♪ ♪ and the clock on the wall has been stuck at three for days and days ♪ ♪ she thinks that happiness is a mat that sits on her doorway ♪ ♪ outside it starts raining ♪ ♪ she says baby it's 3 am i must be lonely ♪ ♪ when she says baby well i can't help but be scared of it all sometimes ♪ ♪ says the rain's gonna wash away i believe it ♪ it's 3 am i must be lonely ♪ ♪ when she says baby

well i can't help but be scared of it all sometimes ♪ >> thank you. >> our concert is just getting started. we're back in a moment. this is "today" on nbc. [ taste buds ] donuts, donuts, donuts! who are these guys? oh, that's just my buds. bacon, donuts. -my taste buds. -[ taste buds ] waffles. how about we try this new kind of fiber one cereal? you think you're going to slip some fiber by us? rookie. okay. ♪ nutty clusters and almonds, ♪ ♪ almonds. ♪ fiber one is gonna make you smile. ♪ [ male announcer ] introducing new fiber one nutty clusters and almonds. with 43% daily value of fiber for you. crunchy nutty clusters and real almond slices

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i like to score my designer shoes and handbags early. so i shop at t.j.'s. i get my favorite brands without having to wait for them to go on sale someplace else. done! fashion direct from designers. savings direct to you. t.j.maxx. matchbox twenty burst on the music scene. they sold more than 30 million albums worldwide. tomorrow they released their first album of all new music in 10 years. it's called north. matchbox twenty. good morning, guys. good to have you all here. >> thank you very much. >> rob, so good to have you back. we've missed you. what took the band so long to put a whole new album together

for 10 years. >> we lost each other's phone numbers. >> i don't believe that. >> totally true. we were doing our own thing. i made a solo record, kyle was, producing and writing. >> whose idea was it to say, hey, let's get back together again? we still have great music together? >> it was always the plan. we had figured out we're going to do this, in sony record, we'll do this. we were in communication, never a big break for us. >> you rent add house in nashville where you collaborated. did it come together smoothly or some bumps in a road. >> nothing worth its salt doesn't have bumps in the road on the way to it. overall we knew the whole time we were headed towards something we were proud of. >> the name of the album is significant, north. what does that money? >> directional north, we as people trying to figure out who they are, which way they are headed. north seemed like an appropriate

title. >> she's so mean, what does that mean? >> not about any of our lives. >> no wives. somebody we know perhaps? >> maybe. somebody everyone knows. >> okay. that tells me a lot. >> you're going to sing she's so mean now? >> we're excited about it. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ she's an uptown, get around anything goes girl ♪ ♪ she's a hard core, candy store give me some more girl ♪

♪ she'll make you take her to the club but then she leaves with her friends she likes to stay late at the party because the fun never ends and all her clothes are on the floor and all your records are scratched she's like a one-way ticket because you can't come back sayin' yeah, you want her but she's so mean. >> you'll never let her go why don't you let her go. >> yeah, you want her but she's so mean ♪ ♪ why don't you let her go? >> you know if you don't shut your mouth she'll freak out ♪ ♪ you better get yourself together because she's bringing you down now ♪ ♪ yeah boy you better ♪ you better ♪ cause she's an uptown, get around anything goes girl ♪ ♪ girl ♪ she's a hard core, candy store

give me some more girl ♪ ♪ girl ♪ she's got a wicked sense of humor can't believe what she says she drinks baccardi in the morning till she goes to her head. >> and all you want is just to hold her but she don't go for that ♪ ♪ she has a hard time coming back when she can't hit back ♪ ♪ saying yeah, you want her but she's so mean ♪ ♪ yeah you want her but she's so mean. >> why don't you let her go ♪ ♪ every now and then she makes you just a little bit crazy she'll turn the knife into your back and and then she's calling you baby ♪ ♪ crazy

>> let me hear you, new york! ♪ she'll make you take her to the club but then she leaves with her friends she likes to stay late at the party. >> cause the fun never ends and all her clothes are on the floor and all your records are scratched she's like a one-way ticket cause you can't come back ♪ ♪ saying yeah you want her. >> but she's so mean you'll never let her go why don't you let her go? now you want her but she's so mean you'll never let her go why don't you let her go. >> yeah and you want her yeah you want her i know how you want her but she's so mean ♪ ♪ you'll never let her go

why don't you let her go? ♪ ♪ >> we'll have more music from matchbox twenty in a moment. but first this is "today" on nbc. here you go little man.

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>> our crowd is enjoying the special labor day concert. give it up one more time for matchbox twenty. ♪ ♪

♪ i believe the world is burning to the ground ♪ ♪ oh, well i guess we're gonna find out ♪ ♪ let's see how far we've come let's see how far we've come ♪ ♪ i believe it all is coming to an end ♪ ♪ oh, well i guess we're gonna pretend ♪ ♪ let's see how far we've come let's see how far we've come ♪ ♪ i think it turned 10:00 but i don't really know and i can't remember caring for an hour or so ♪ ♪ started crying and i couldn't stop myself i started running but there's nowhere to run to ♪ ♪ i sat down on the street took a look at myself said, "where you going man? you know the world ♪ ♪ is headed for hell say your good-byes if you've got someone you can say good-bye to ♪ ♪ i believe the world is burning to the ground ♪ ♪ oh, well i guess we're gonna find out ♪ ♪ let's see how far we've come let's see how far we've come ♪ ♪ i believe it all

is coming to an end ♪ ♪ oh, well i guess we're gonna pretend ♪ ♪ let's see how far we've come let's see how far we've come ♪ ♪ it's gone, gone baby it's all gone there's no one on the corner and there's no one at home ♪ ♪ well, it was cool, cool it was just all cool now, it's over for me and it's over for you ♪ ♪ it's gone, gone baby it's all gone there's no one on the corner and there's no one at home ♪ ♪ well, it was cool, cool it was just all cool now, it's over for me and it's over for you ♪ ♪ i believe the world is burning to the ground ♪ ♪ oh, well i guess we're gonna find out ♪ ♪ let's see how far we've come let's see how far we've come ♪ ♪ i believe

it all is coming to an end ♪ ♪ oh, well i guess we're gonna pretend ♪ ♪ let's see how far we've come let's see how far we've come ♪ ♪ let's see how far we've come let's see how far we've come ♪ ♪ let's see how far we've come let's see how far we've come ♪ ♪ let's see how far we've come let's see how far we've come ♪ ♪ let's see how far we've come ♪ >> thank you! >> matchbox twenty. they will be back with one more song a little bit later. but first your local news. ♪

8:56. i'm marla tellez. a minor earthquake shook the greater losangeles area this morninging. the usgs says a 3.2 quake hit near beverly hills about 3:30 this morning. according to the "l.a. times" in the past ten days there has been one earthquake magnitude 3.0 or greater centered in that area. let's check the labor day forecast with christina. good morning. good morning, marla. good morning to you at home.

good-looking finish, unofficial finish to summer, 97 degrees inland today, will be 83 bayside and 75 at the coast. real weather story of the week is we're going to take your numbers down each and every day through the weekend. [ male announcer ] the magic of nature appears every day, within each strand of an oat's rhythmical sway. when an apple's vibrant red temptation, and honey's sweet touch of golden sensation, join together with a pecan crunch you'll savor, creating the most perfect lesson in flavor. ♪ nature's best-written recipe is ready for you to enjoy. nature valley, nature at its most delicious. now try our new crunchy dark chocolate peanut butter bar.

back now with more of . 3 f2 (gritos) ow with more of

which is a fabulous. and then switching gears, are you living in one of the most expensive cities in the country? a list of the most expensive and least expensive cities has been released. where you might want to be living? first we'll check on the news at this hour. hey, tamron. >> good morning, thousands of people in southern california have been forced to come up with other holiday plans after they were burned out of a popular camp ground. a car fire sunday sparked a blaze that spread to more than 3600 acres, about 300 firefighters back by helicopters and air tankers have been able to contain just 5% of that wildfire. and many people across los

angeles area were jolted awake by an early morning earth qua. the 3.3 was centered in beverly hills and shook most of the west side of los angeles. a quake of that magnitude generally does not generate structural damage. no power making lives miserable for people in louisiana. as much as 5 feet of water still covers part of plaquemines parish. president obama will inspect response efforts during a visit to southern louisiana today and make the case for re-election during a campaign stop in a key swing state of ohio, where he will speak to auto workers. mitt romney will be off the campaign trail for a few days as he prepares for next month's debates nks. a monster truck veered out of control in a race in oregon on saturday.

three spectators were hurt. we're told none of the injuries are life threatening. the driver lost his hydraulic steering. just out this jaw dropping catch from the minor leaks between scranton wilkes-barre yankees and -- that's bananas. left fielder tracks a shot to the wall and makes a catch and flips to the bull pen. robbing the yankees of a grand slam. that is awesome. let's get a look at the top movies at the weekend box office "the possession" got the top space and then "lawless quts. and "the expendables" fell to number three. oscar winning actor russell crow is back on dry land. crowe and a hand had to be rescued by the coast guard while

kayaking off long island new york. he tweeted his thanks to coast guard for guiding him to safety. randy jackson is leaving "american idol." jackson, the only remain ig original show will transition into a mentor role when the show returns. so far only one judge has been confirmed for season 12, mariah carey inked her deal after the departure of jennifer lopez and steven tyler. joey chestnut captured a new title at the national buffalo wing festival this weekend. chestnut scarfed down 191 chicken wings in 12 minutes. that beat the old record of 183 wings. that was set last year. earlier this year he won his sixth straight hot dog eating contest. of course that happened at coney island. it is now four minutes past the hour, let's check in with stephanie for the weather.

>> i was checking out the hat. >> let's go to weather and talk to our fans. your favorite new song? >> overjoyed. >> old song. >> 3:00 a.m. >> they are mega fans of m matchbox twenty. we're going to talk about leslie. moving slowly north-northwest at 8 miles per hour. does not look like it will make landfall in the u.s. though it will bring waves to the east 9:05. labor day. this is san francisco. do not be misled by this thick bank of low clouds. it's going to burn off quickly. take a look at your forecast for giants game. temperatures in the 70s. 71 degrees at 2:00 p.m. in the city by the bay, up to 72 degrees at 3:00 p.m. we're talking about 70s in san francisco. going to be a little hot inland but not too shabby. 96 in livermore today, 86 in san

jose today. if you want the cooler weather, we drop off through the weekend. a birthday present for twins turning 65. you guys enjoy matchbox. >> we love them. >> still rocking out at 65. i like it. >> me, too, stephanie. me, too. nearly one in three children in this country overweight or obese, u.s. tennis association is on a mission to get kids active. actress and mom kristen taylor is the official spokesperson and bob harper is a fitness trainer to the stars. good morning. >> good morning. >> it's so great you're both lending your voice to this because it's such an important message. tell me what the impact of tennis was in your life, kristen. >> i grew up a tennis fan. i grew up in pennsylvania. i went to the u.s. open as a little girl and just loved watching the players. so that inspired me to pick up a racket and take lessons and learn to play myself. it's just been a lifelong love

for me. so i wanted to pass that along to my kids. it's fun. >> it's a great way, bob, to be fit, to be active and a great family game, too. right? >> i'm always looking for ways i can get a family working out together or playing together. tennis is perfect for that. just getting out there on the weekends, tossing the ball around. it's not about winning or losing, just about breaking a sweat for a little bit with the family. i love this. >> you kicked off a youth exhibition at the billy jean king tennis center this weekend. tell me about that and why are you both lending your voices to this? >> it was so much fun. out there. >> you've got style kristen. >> the kids were so good. >> a lot of spin going on there. they are amazing. the incredible about this 10 and under tennis initiative is that the courts, unlike when i was a kid growing up, are now right sized for their age groups. it's bachkly splitting the court in half playing the other way,

lower net, lighter balls, smaller rackets and giving kids the confidence to pick up a game they might not have picked up otherwise. it's terrific. >> that really is the key, confidence. not about competition but giving them the right skills and giving them something fun to do to stay active. >> absolutely. i'm sure tennis can be intimidating to a kid that's never played before. the kout is big, the racket is big. now all of a sudden they have scaled it down. balls are bigger, tennis rackets smaller. >> it's great. two versions. these are for little, eight and under, ten and under and gradually move to the actual racket and right-sized court. >> you can find this message on tennis.com. >> bounce forward you are married to ben stiller. you mention your kids also get involved with tennis as well. is there a huge grand slam in your household? who wins? we saw you guys in dodgeball. >> we were talking a little

about who is competitive, who is not. kids that aren't super competitive, they are just about having fun. they don't want to keep score or get timed. the husband of mine likes to keep score. he trained him in l.a. >> he's fantastic. >> a good player. >> competitive. >> not about young kids but basics for them at one of the schools from harlem. who do we have, marquis and jalen. come over and show them what we're going to do. >> keep those feet moving. they are just going to toss the ball. as long as they keep their feet moving. >> double ball. >> dodgeball. >> it's soft.

>> bob, a lot of people have the misconception, they think tennis is an elite support, something expensive, unaffordable. how do you allow kids to get out there and avoid the cost and be able to do something after school like this? >> what's really great about this whole tennis system now, you can buy a tennis racket for less than $25. it is a lot more affordable. and also there's these free tennis for play around the country, tennis-free play. you don't have to pay for anything. >> all across the country you can look up places to get free tennis days to just try it, see if you even enjoy it. >> bottom line making it affordable and having an outlet for families to get together on the weekends and play around and get exercise. >> this is how they get started, graduate to the rackets. soccer moves. good job. we should mention they are with the national junior tennis and learning of harlem. great, kids, to have you here. thanks for being a part of this

as well today. thank you both for being here. >> thank you. >> right back after these messages. good one. he's got all the moves. tter.no. these work, right? no. all right. mom! look what i found in the shed! no! no! no! ♪ ew! were you guys just making out in here? what? no! is it okay if i quit my job and start a blog? no. really? cold cuts from a package? yes. [ male announcer ] in a world filled with "no," it's nice to finally say "yes." new oscar mayer selects deli meat. the tastes you love and no artificial preservatives. it's yes food. a great clean doesn't have to take long. i'm done. are you thinking what i'm thinking?

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it is so good. ♪ as kids head back to school, a big concern for parents is bullying. a middle schooler in orlando who has a unique perspective on what it feels like to be different is on a mission to teach other kids why it's wrong. nbc's mark potter has her story. >> i know you're excited because

our first lab is going to hall rockets. >> in preschool i had a lot of questions and a lot of people making fun of me about my hands. >> reporter: this 13-year-old knows she was different, born with what's commonly known as lobster claw syndrome, a genetic condition where hands, teeth, and toes don't form properly. >> sometimes i would have such a bad day, i would come home and cry. it was just too much for me to really take. >> reporter: but instead of giving into the teasing, she did something about it. >> so welcome to first grade. >> thank you. hi, everybody. >> reporter: every since first grade she has been speaking to school children about her children. >> any difference can be worrisome to a child, especially when meeting new people. >> trying to spread her anti-bullying message. >> i have some physical differences with my hands and my feet. >> she recently spoke to eighth graders at her school in

orlando. >> i've been bullied a lot. i know what it's like to be on that side of the fence. for me since i have a voice now, i can go out there and tell everyone not to bully people. that people that are different are just the same on the inside. >> izzie wrote a book about a little boy named nathan on the first day of school and what it's like to feel different. >> i think if it's in schools and kids read this book, they will -- through nathan, they will see nathan is like all kids and they shouldn't make fun of anyone. >> reporter: even her doctor is impressed with how she handles herself. >> i've seen her many, many years. she's never really said she couldn't do anything. she wants to play soccer, she plays soccer. it's not what you see on the outside but what's on the inside. >> maybe others might stop and think, what if i was in those shoes and think about it from

those terms to help stop not just the obvious bullying we've all come to associate but some of the silent messages that are sent at school that make people feel excluded. >> reporter: izzie hopes her message will make all kids feel good about themselves. >> first want to go out and teach everyone not to make fun of people because that's just wrong. when people see me, i really want them to see me as someone who is different but that is making a difference. >> reporter: for today, mark potter, nbc news, miami. >> still ahead, are you living in the most expensive city in the country? a new survey may have your hometown on that list right after this.

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back now with a look at the most and least expensive to live in the united states. the council for economic research ranked 300 cities coast-to-coast. i was not surprised to see honolulu on this list of number three. >> number three, that's right. they based these numbers on the cost of consumer services from grocery items to housing, health care, transportation. san francisco also on the list at number four. not surprising considering housing is scares there. >> look at that. >> san jose not far behind. but number one on the list, manhattan. i don't think that's a surprise to anyone.

what's interesting how they break out the boroughs, brooklyn, queens in the top ten. >> it's been like this for a while and people keeping moving here in tiny apartments for $5 million. >> no escape anywhere in new york you go. >> least expensive place to live, harlyn again, texas, comes in as least expensive, memphis, tennessee, mcallen, texas, a lot of texas towns. >> that's all in the south which you're seeing a lot of businesses move, especially to atlanta, for example, which isn't on the list, but texas, my home state temple, texas, not far from where i was born didn't make the list. population 200. i am related to all of them. >> the halls. >> stories, that's the place to go. ahead, how to add spice tower labor day barbecue. >> and one more song from

matchbox twenty. >> rob thomas, what pipes. after your local news and weather. ♪ we're gonna have, we're gonna have ♪ ♪ we're gonna have a good day [ female announcer ] wouldn't it be nice if we focused less on the number and more on how the fit makes us feel? ♪ and all my ladies got pride today ♪ take the special k challenge™. drop a jean size in two weeks and slip into size sassy. so many delicious ways to get started at specialk.com. what will you gain when you lose?™

it is 9:26. good morning, everybody. i'm jon kelly. just into our newsroom, a fatal accident being reported from palo alto on middlefield road just south of san antonio road. that road, middlefield road is shut down right now, and we'll keep you updated on information as we get it into our newsroom. police investigating an overnight stabbing in east palo al alto. menlo park police helping with the investigation. at least one person was stabbed multiple times. four people being questioned. the victim was rushed to a hospital. at this point, police are not saying anything else this morning about that one. and protesters angry over the chevron refinery fire in richmond plan to spend labor day marching and rallying. fire on august 7th sent a thousand people to the hospital and sparked a long list of

lawsuits. protesters say they want the energy industry to be rationalized or actually nationalized and run under labor and community control. event speakers include anti-war activist cindy sheehan and the vice presidential candidate for the peace and freedom party. this morning's protest set to start at 10:30 a.m. at point richmond washington park. and the dumbarton bridge could be ahead of schedule in time for tomorrow's morning commute. some good weather helping caltrans crews make good progress on the bridge's seismic ret retroit the. a brand-new joint is said to be more flexible and can withstand stronger earthquakes. if you need to get from one side of the bay to the other before tomorrow morning, your best bet is the san mateo bridge. all right. we'll have a look at your weather and traffic after the break.

9:28. welcome back. beautiful live picture. this is the blue sky that awaits you in the city by the bay. we have to get through this first. it looks like we're starting to

burn off a little of that low cloud cover. i'm forecasting completely clear conditions in the city by about 11:00. 3 degrees in oakland today. 81 in fremont. 84 for redwood city. here in san jose, 86 degrees. we'll have your seven-day in just two minutes if you can wait for it. first here's the drive with anthony. an accident on 101 southbound near san bruno. it is not slowing traffic, but nonetheless definitely something there. otherwise no major accidents.

♪ ♪ >> that's pop sensation demi lovato. the actress is riding high after a difficult time in her life. speaking of music, matchbox twenty put on a wonderful concert on the plaza. we have one more song. >> big daddy is in the house with tasty recipes you still have time to make, including a recipe for something he calls

the inside out burger. sometimes i wish our show was smellavision. >> can you hear my stomach growl. whether we like it or not, today is the unofficial end of summer. you don't have to run out and buy a brand-new wardrobe. coming up how to transition your pieces. >> first a final check of the weather from stephanie abrams, a loot labor day. >> it's looking a little hot. a little too hot. we're talking the 90s running all the way up through the plains. scarves not needed today but soon enough into the plains we'll be talking about blizzard conditions i'm sure. along the east coast, rain. not going to affect us. good morning to you. temperatures are looking fantastic. we are clearing you out of this fog. you can see the fog clearing with the naked eye. let me step out of the way and you'll notice a sailboat on the bay. conditions are going to be perfect by the water today

because we're getting so much sunshine. your giants forecast, 71 degrees at 2:00 p.m., the city by the bay, about 74 degrees in the heat of the day. look at your seven-day outlook. we take your temperatures down each and every day through sunday. >> hold up on the boots just yet. >> okay. we'll start planning for the wardrobe switch. coming up next on "today's" style how to stretch your summer wardrobe into fall right after this. d? [ man ] what can you smell? [ inhales deeply ] a lot of flowers. it's on the zingy side of floral. potpourri factory, maybe. you can take off your blindfolds now. oh my gosh. [ laughter ] [ male announcer ] success. victory over odors, for good, both here and in your home. febreze. breathe happy. these are sandra's "homemade"

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this morning on "today's" style, transforming your summer style into the fall season. summer may be coming to an official end but that does not mean you have to pack up your entire wardrobe. lucky magazine's contributing style editor, lorie, good morning, good to see you. >> good morning. >> the unofficial end, the official end later. we'll deal with that point when we reach it. nonetheless, make simple ideas to get our wardrobe transitioning. >> you don't have to pack up everything, maybe the flip-flop. get more out of summer trends. >> let's start with the first trend, shorts, a huge trend as always in the center. kristin ark, showing her shorts as she rocked them over the summer. what do we do now? >> get rid of the tank top, add something to the legs for warmth. see christina.

>> cute. >> shorts under $30. what gives them that mark of longevity is they are made of a thicker material and have pleating. you could dress them up. we added polka dot chambray shirt from old navy, threw a cardigan over it. these shorts are so great because they are a neutral color. a great thing to look out for. tights. tights can give anything more wearability. >> those are textured which i love. >> cute little ankle boot, the shoe of the season. everything under $100. >> christina, you look fabulous. i love that. thank you very much. hot friend, everyone trying to wear this in the summer. look at the photograph how joan rocked this look. she looks cute there. >> more of a summer work look for joan. see her come out in the fall look.

peplin, a lot of women wear off. look for something with that little flounce. the turtleneck is the staple of the fall. >> i always think turtlenecks make you look like a bobblehead. they have replaced layering piece. it's splend it. let's the peplum work harder for her. a lot of people think throwing a cardigan is the way to go. layer giving the turtleneck underneath. a great pair of pants and hot pink shoes for a little bit of fun. >> i love that, and i love the layering of the turtleneck with the top. >> not that difficult to do. >> the turtleneck is becoming the layering piece with suiting. >> joan, you look so sleek. go to the high-lo trend. carrie wore this summer. >> seen this, otherwise known as the mullet skirt, party in the

front, business in the back. now we can see she's transitioned it into fall. here comes carrie. what we did again with the cardigan, another color of the season, burgundy, ox blood. this is from banana republic under $60. the skirt itself from lulu, $35. it does have that shortness in the front. the way you play it down in the fall with tights. those are fleece lined from bare necessity. prethis look warm. >> a scarf from hat attack. keep that fall look coming. you want things textured and warm and feeling very fireside. it channels that equestrian vibe, which is huge for fall. >> i'll remember that. the layering makes it a richer look, so chic. >> thank you so much. i know you're hot in that outfit. that's for later. up next, the neon look. sharon got in on the fun with those neon pants. can't miss them. how do you keep them going in

the fall. >> this is such a huge trend. sharon, come on out. this is what's hard to remember. you think it's the hardest one to pull off. pick the right color combination. you want to mitigate that summery brightness by pairing it with something that tones it down a little bit. that we did with a gray sweater, zips up, another scarf, knit. keep things very textured. you want to channel that fall vibe with things that feel warm and cozy. again, it's all about the ankle boot. hsn, the fall shoe of the season. everything under $100. she looks fantastic. keep that neon to one piece and it will keep you all the way through to the end of the year. >> come out. impressive before and after. cozy, even though i'm not ready for chilly weather, i'm ready to steal ideas. >> thank you, ladies. up next big daddy spices up today's last barbecue of the summer right after this.

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this morning on labor day kitchen, "today's" barbecue. a lot of people throwing end of summer parties, chef and star of big daddy's house from the food network is here to offer flair to your festivities. good morning to you. >> good morning. how are you doing? >> i can hear the sizzling. we'll get to that in a minute but we'll start with your favorite grilled eggplant.

>> grilled cheese, eggplant. it's simple to do a lot of people don't know what to do with eggplant. they are stuck. do i make stew, rattouie with it. >> add oil. do this the day ahead, marinade with salt and pepper, oil. i like to grill them the day ahead. >> how hot? >> very hot, 425, 450 because you want nice grill marks. that's the presentation part of it. >> how long? >> two minutes each side. cut them kind of thick so they can hold up to the heat and won't wilt. >> this is the filling. >> my mother didn't like goat cheese until i made this here. goat cheese, heavy cream and

dried cherries, you can use cranberries, blueberries, but i like cherries. you want to soften the goat choose so it has firmness. as we roll these, go in the oven two or three minutes. just so you know how easy to roll, take filler on the end. >> it's like pig in a blanket except goat cheese. >> exactly. you got it. in the oven, 375. you can put this out in the beginning of the barbecue. everyone loves it. i like to top with chives, white balsamic vinegar. this really brings it out. >> a great starter. >> a little olive oil. you can put a couple pieces baguette bread, forks.

put out plates, a couple of forks. you hear the sizzle? >> yes. >> go back. >> i didn't know snoop was on it. >> i've got mushrooms. use portabellos. you smell these. i cook it in bacon fat. cook the bacon ahead of time, put my mushrooms in there. now add bacon that's choked, cubed swiss cheese. you want it big. this the inside out burger. all this normally on top. we're going to put it inside. >> the inside out is what? what is inside out burger? >> normally a bacon swiss mushroom burger on the outside. we're going to put it inside, seal like like an envelope, put it in the frying pan. what? labor day got hooked up today. >> how many calories are we talking about here? >> we'll talk about that tomorrow. that's a tomorrow conversation.

>> i got it. how long here on the skillet. >> just want to mix this up, mushrooms cooled down. take these patties. took an eight ounce ball, flattened it out. some filler right in the middle just like that. take the other patty on the top. pinch it closed and add it right to this pan. i like to do it by itself. pepperoni, sausage, pizza sauce, whatever floats your boat. i like the much room and swiss. >> how long? >> four minutes each side, nice medium rare. on top of the grill. >> cheese will met inside. >> this ain't no show. this is the real deal. add a little lettuce, tomatoes, call it a day. at the end, mangos, pineapple, grill them, jalapenos. i like to freeze a little fresh lime juice on top of the fruit

like that. we've got acid everywhere. everything you find in the garden. >> how many calories in that. >> pretty light, baby. do this at the end so you don't feel guilty. >> okay. this is breakfast for us today. >> definitely breakfast. >> fabulous. >> back to you. >> thank you so much. happy labor day. >> happy labor day to you. eat good now. >> when we come back, one more song from matchbox twenty. first this is "today." have you heard of the new dialing procedure

for the 408 and 669 area codes? no, what is it? starting october 20, 2012, if you have a 408 or 669 number, you'll need to dial 1 plus the area code plus the phone number for all calls. o.k., but what if i have an 408 number and i'm calling a 408 number? you'll still need to dial 1 plus the area code plus the phone number. so when in doubt, dial it out! >> announcer: the toyota concert series on "today" brought to you by toyota. >> come on, tamron, chow down. you know you want it. >> i know i want it. everybody knows i want it. >> just ahead kathie lee and hoda with a sneak peek of the hottest movies coming out of the new season. >> what are you going to try first? you've already tried mangos.

>> i just don't want to get caught with a big chunk. >> that's why i'm using the force. >> before we go, one more song from matchbox 20. >> i love it. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ i cannot over state it i will be overjoyed ♪

♪ and we'll share this life any time i'm going to be by your side when nobody understand you well i do ♪ ♪ baby let me hold let me come over i will tell god only knows i cannot overstate it ♪ ♪ i will be overjoyed ♪ i cannot overstate it i will be overjoyed i will be overjoyed ♪

♪ >> thank you so much. [ cheers and applause ]

the time now is 9:56. good morning, everybody. i'm jon kelley. this just in to our newsroom within the hour. a fatal labor day accident to report from palo alto. this crash happening on middlefield road this morning south of san antonio road. police there reporting just one car involved.

it slammed right into a tree. that driver unfortunately was pronounced dead at the scene. at this point, it's unclear if alcohol was actually involved in that crash. we can tell you middlefield road remains completely shut down south of san antonio for the next three hours. time now to look on a much brighter side and check that were on your labor day. christina loren is here to fill us in on all the good vibrations. good morning. >> good morning to you, jon. good morning to you at home. happy labor day. old glory not getting much pick frup the wind, but we still have that fog deck. it's starting to clear at this point. this is all that's left of it. you're heed towards full sunshine in the city by the bay today and highs at about 74 degrees in san francisco. just phenomenal conditions for the unofficial end of summer. 81 degrees. that's what we're looking at on the east shore in fremont, 87 in los gatos, 80 in santa cruz. can't beat that. and temperatures are going to gradually decrease as we head through the weekend. by the week's end we will head from upper 90s to the low 80s.

we'll have a 15 te gree drop-off. let's check your drive with anthony slaughter. thank you, christina. accident on 101 northbound at millbrae and that is on the off ramp slowing traffic just a bit but still getting by with no problem. 17 down towards santa cruz. there congestion but still no accidents to report and also in the south bay, things are clear as far as any major accidents go at this time. jon? thank you very much. for latest traffic and news updates, check us out on nbcbayarea.com on facebook. coming up, "golf central" then the pga tournament. ask me what it's like when my tempur-pedic moves.

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